The Citizen, 2015-01-29, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015. PAGE 19.
Munro report coming
Changes coming to Alice Munro Festival
The Alice Munro Festival of the
Short Story is looking at some
changes in 2015 based on
suggestions in a report by a
consultant involved with the Labour
Market Partnership focused on
leveraging Munro’s Nobel Prize win
as a means of generating tourism
dollars in the area.
North Huron Township Economic
Development Co-ordinator Connie
Goodall explained that after a
successful 2014, the group is
looking at rebuilding its committee
and moving the event to earlier in the
season.
“We had a successful year,” she
said. “We had entries come from
Seoul, South Korea, and New York
and other points.”
Goodall later went on to say that,
over the past several years, stories
and attendees have come from Japan
and Europe.
Following recommendations made
in the report, the group set a mandate
and mission statement, though
Goodall said the competition has
been growing successfully since its
re-launch in 2012, and outlined the
success factors identified for the
organization.
“We’re the only festival for the
short story in North America,” she
said. “We’re set in the birthplace
of Alice Munro whose short
stories have earned her the 2013
Nobel Prize for Literature and... the
festival committee includes a
broad range of skill and experience
in programming, event plann-
ing, marketing and community
engagements.”
“In 2012, we had just over 50
entries, approximately 78 in 2013
and 200 in 2014,” she said. “We
grew 400 per cent from 2012 to
2014.”
As per the report from the
consultants, the Festival has been
moved to June 5-7, pushing the
deadline for submissions up to April
1. The jubilee gala, where the
winners are revealed, has been set
for June 6 at the Knights of
Columbus Hall in Wingham.
As far as a budget for the
organization goes, $30,000 was
included for pilot programming
as part of the labour market
study according to Goodall, and
several funding applications had
been made including one through
the McLean’s Foundation to
purchase equipment for the
festival.
Goodall said the board was asking
for North Huron Council’s
endorsement of the event including
financial support and in-kind
support.
The in-kind support would consist
of venues, human resources and
website hosting while the group also
sought $3,000 for the event from
council.
The township would be joining
confirmed partners Huron County
Libraries and Cultural Services, the
Blyth Festival and, through the
Labour Market Partnership, Central
Huron, Morris-Turnberry and Huron
County.
Council has supported the festival
in previous years, though a decision
for 2015 will be made during
upcoming budget deliberations.
Councillor James Campbell asked
if Goodall, through her role with the
township, had already put the money
aside in her budget, which she said
she had.
Councillor Trevor Seip asked what
constituted a short story and Goodall
explained that, through the report
from the consultants, that was set to
be determined.
“Up until now we have been
accepting works of up to 5,000
words, but we’re now looking at
2,500 to 3,000,” she said. “We’re
going to work with the University of
Western Ontario’s Literacy
Department to draft recommended
guidelines for the festival.”
Continued from page 16
Alex Westerhout asked for a
progress report on the labour market
study associated with the
Municipalities of Central Huron,
North Huron and Morris-Turnberry
benefitting from Munro’s Nobel
Prize win in 2013.
Chief Administrative Officer
Peggy Van Mierlo-West said that
three of the five reports associated
with the study have been filed. It is
anticipated that all five of the
expected reports will be filed by
March, she said.
Van Mierlo-West said she could
prepare a report for council on
Parker’s request, as well as on the
status of the labour market study, for
a future meeting.
Councillor Genny Smith asked
council if the municipality should
really consider Parker’s request,
saying that the labour market study
was designed to identify a strategy
regarding Munro and to eliminate
“one-offs” such as Parker’s request,
positive as it might be.
Van Mierlo-West will return to
council with a report on the subject.
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By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Exciting
To celebrate her 80th birthday, Muriel Coultes had a big night on Jan. 23. Coultes started the
evening with a limousine ride to and from dinner and welcomed guests to the Belgrave
Community Centre for skating and visiting. Donations, as well as a portion of each beverage
sold, were given to the Goderich Women’s Shelter. Coultes was joined by friends and family
including her granddaughters who couldn’t wait to tear into the cake. Shown are, from left:
Olivia Wightman, Rachel Cook and Mackenzie Wightman. (Denny Scott photo)